Ohio Guidelines for the Identification of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities (Including Differentiated Referral Procedures).

Cuyahoga Special Education Service Center, Maple Heights, OH.; Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Special Education.

The guidelines focus on procedures for determining eligibility for services of children with specific learning disabilities. A 13-step process is delineated from the classroom teacher's response to individual learner needs through multifactored evaluation team function to annual review and reevaluation. Throughout the process, special emphasis is given to differentiated referral procedures. Additional topics (with sample subtopics indicated in parentheses) include the following: individual learning differences; multifactored evaluation (required areas of assessment); eligibility criteria for success (exclusion criteria); characteristics of children needing services (medical indicators and qualitative test data); discrepancy score limitations; determination of eligibility and need for services (data interpretation, team report); development of the individualized education program (conference activities); and alternatives for ineligible, low achieving children. Appended materials include guidelines for facilitating learning and directions for using the Classroom Observation Procedure and Protocol. (CL)